Stylish ink and watercolor drawings complement Dawson's amusing yet pointed biographical sketches. This spirited feminist history entertains and enlightens.” — Publishers Weekly
“[A]n easy-to-read, eye-opening look at female bravery amid the sexism and misogyny throughout history; it is funny and rousing and proud.” — Shelf Awareness
“Whether describing how women escaped enslavement, defined literary movements, ensured women can compete in judo on an Olympic level, or take to the high seas as pirates, Dawson’s biographies are as informative as they are entertaining. Full-color illustrations by artist Tina Berning beautifully round out the collection.” — Booklist
"An entertaining, astonishing collection celebrating the diverse trailblazers who disguised themselves as men... Let Me Be Frank is a witty, sometimes infuriating, wholly inspiring look at the lengths that women had to go to." — Buzzfeed
“A smart, funny journey through history that introduces us to the rule breakers who made history worth traveling through.” — Patton Oswalt, comedian, actor and author
"If you love history and you love women in history you're going to love this book. Tracy is so funny and sassy!" — Angela Kinsey, actress (The Office)
“This book will surprise, astonish, and hopefully anger you on the lengths women have had to go to pursue their dreams. Tracy has such a gift for storytelling and making history leap off the page. Her book has a wit that suggests it was written by a man since everyone knows women aren't this funny.” — Kay Cannon, writer, producer, director (the Pitch Perfect films, Cinderella)
“[L]ike the brilliant, resourceful, rule-breaking, damn-well-stubborn sisters in Let Me Be Frank, Tracy is someone who gets the job done, and gets it done well.” — Samantha Bee, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
“A quirky volume that brings together stories of many interesting women for readers looking for a laugh and an education.” — Library Journal
“Dawson’s book is a loving tribute to those who did whatever they could to show that women unbound by gender roles can survive and thrive.” — Boston Globe
“Armed with her passionate, ultra-feminist irony, a mountain of research, and an appropriately witty title, Tracy Dawson takes aim at ancient patriarchal traditions by giving fierce, rule-breaking women, both known and little-known, a voice for their defiance.” — Historical Novel Society
10/01/2022
In this spirited debut, actor, comedian, and writer Dawson explores the legendary lives of 21 patriarchy-subverting women who dared to live their dreams. Each well-researched essay is full of intriguing facts and snarky asides, with diverse subjects hailing from a wide variety of time periods and countries. They're not all heroes—one is Christian Caddell, who hunted "witches" in Scotland in the 17th century. Still, there are plenty of inspiring stories: see Ellen Craft, an enslaved woman whose daring escape involved dressing as a white male plantation owner, and Rena "Rusty" Kanokogi, who disguised herself as a man to compete in judo tournaments. Kendra Hoffman's narration captures the spirit of Dawson's essays, from "get a load of this" incredulity to delight at the ingenuity of these courageous women. VERDICT An entertaining and well-narrated collection of historical sketches; suggest to those who enjoy feminist history or tales of women defying the odds.—Nanette Donohue